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Tourism officials remain optimistic about the prospects of rebuilding the industry, despite the obstacles posed by the eruption of La Soufriere volcano and the latest travel advisory issued by the United States.
Chief executive officer of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA), Senator Rudy Grant, and Minister of Tourism Senator Lisa Cummins have both said the focus would continue to be placed on the planning for the rebounding of the industry.
In the case of the volcanic eruption, Grant said despite the ash, the majority of hotels were still operating, even if with “significantly reduced numbers”.
He said hotel occupancy had declined by 18 per cent. (GC)
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Government’s plan for a phased re-opening of the tourism sector by next month could be facing yet another challenge, this time from the eruption of the La Soufrière volcano in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Yesterday, Minister of Tourism Senator Lisa Cummins, who acknowledged that with little known regarding how long the volcano would continue to spew ash into the atmosphere causing closure of Barbadian airspace due to reduced visibility, the development could place a spanner in the works as it relates to the country’s ambitions to open up to vaccinated travellers.
Speaking during a virtual press conference at Illaro Court yesterday, Cummins said that like what has been done during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the country must once again dig deep into its resources of adaptability and resilience to mitigate this latest threat to the sector.
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